Holland & Knight Names Partner, Joe Guay, Leader of Firm's Real Estate Section

New York, April 11, 2011 – Holland & Knight is pleased to announce that Joe Guay, a partner residing in the firm's New York office, has been appointed firm-wide Section Leader of the Real Estate Section by Managing Partner, Steven Sonberg. Joe will succeed Washington, DC partner, Janis Schiff, who served in this role for over four years. Janis has been appointed by the Managing Partner to serve in the newly created role of Client Services and Development Partner.

"I am tremendously pleased that Joe will be assuming the role of Section Leader for our firm's national Real Estate Section," said Sonberg. "Joe has developed an outstanding real estate practice with a broad national and international client base and is a natural fit for this role. Joe will have big shoes to fill, as Janis has done a tremendous job in leading the Section well through one of the most challenging real estate markets ever. I am confident that Joe is the right person to continue her great work."

Joe Guay focuses his practice in the areas of commercial real estate and business law with a strong emphasis in hotel and resort development and hospitality law from the brand perspective, including hotel acquisitions and dispositions, development and finance, mixed-use development projects, hotel management agreements, branded residential projects, restaurant agreements and general hotel operation matters throughout the United States, Latin America, South America, Asia and the Caribbean. He represents national hotel company owners and operators, pension fund advisors and investment funds, and real estate development companies, institutional lenders and investment banks.